A positive deviance approach to Roma education

Abstract

Across Europe, Roma students suffer from high abstention and dropout rates due to segregation in schools and classrooms, discrimination they face from the administrations, teachers, and peers, poverty, seasonal migration, and low expectations regarding education. This article, on the other hand, focuses on successful Roma students, asking whether there are any common structural factors that explain their success. The research is based on the “positive deviance approach”, which suggests that solutions to community problems already exist within the community. Therefore, this article aims to contribute to developing effective policies or strategies to address the educational challenges faced by Roma by focusing on solutions employed by the community members themselves. I conduct in-depth interviews with successful Roma individuals from Türkiye, and complement the research with existing data and reports. The main findings suggest that material and non-material support, socialization, mixed schools and guidance had a positive impact for success. The findings have the potential to influence the policy responses of international organizations, governments, and civil society.